Gatehouse and Chapel to St Mary's Abbey
GATEHOUSE AND CHAPEL TO ST MARY'S ABBEY, SWAN STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1209130
- Date first listed:
- 25-Aug-1959
- List Entry Name:
- Gatehouse and Chapel to St Mary's Abbey
- Statutory Address:
- GATEHOUSE AND CHAPEL TO ST MARY'S ABBEY, SWAN STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2002-04-26
- Reference:
- IOE01/06710/03
- Rights:
- © Mr Richard M. Brown. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1209130
- Date first listed:
- 25-Aug-1959
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 30-Nov-1993
- List Entry Name:
- Gatehouse and Chapel to St Mary's Abbey
- Statutory Address 1:
- GATEHOUSE AND CHAPEL TO ST MARY'S ABBEY, SWAN STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- GATEHOUSE AND CHAPEL TO ST MARY'S ABBEY, SWAN STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Kent
- District:
- Tonbridge and Malling (District Authority)
- Parish:
- West Malling
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 68222 57740
Details
WEST MALLING
TQ6857 SWAN STREET 1156-0/3/155 Gatehouse & Chapel to St Mary's 25/08/59 Abbey (Formerly Listed as: SWAN STREET St Mary's Abbey)
GV I
Gatehouse and chapel. Late C15 or early C16 former prebendary, almonry and pilgrim's chapel with C16 alterations restored in C19. Built of stone rubble with tiled roof with stone and brick chimneystacks. 1 to 2 storeys with irregular fenestration. Roughly L-shaped. West elevation has a feature of 3 external chimneystacks of stone but brick above roof lead. Continuous drip-mould with 2 gargoyles, a shield with motto now illegible over the arch and probably the Honeywood family shield to right. Large approximately central stone arch with dripmould and renewed double doors. To the right is a smaller 4-centred arch with dripmoulding and carved spandrels. 3 shields, 1 with the instruments of the Passion, 1 with a pierced heart and 1 with the motif worn away. Double-arched window above. To the left is a blocked-in squint. Deep plinth. North elevation has a ground floor of stone rubble, the first floor timber-framed but refaced in roughcast. 1st floor has 5-light C16 wooden mullioned window. Ground floor has 2 paired stone mullioned windows. Chapel has blocked doorway. East elevation has a ground floor of stone rubble and 1st floor timber-framed and plastered with roll-moulded jetty with square framing visible in cart entrance. Tiled roof. Central carriage entrance with 4-centred arch. Moulded wooden pilaster to left of arch. Also to the left is a ground floor 2-light splayed mullioned window and a stone doorcase altered into a window with leaded lights. To right of the entrance is a 6-light wooden mullion with some C19 stained glass in the upper cames and arched doorcases to right with original 5-plank door. South elevation has stone ground floor, header bond brickwork above and Flemish bond brickwork to gable. All windows in this elevation are C20. Attached to the east is the pilgrim's chapel altered to become a family chapel in the C19. South front is of ashlar with stone trefoil-headed light with quatrefoils above. Cambered arched doorcase with panel above end stoup. C19 east window with reticulated tracery. Interior of chapel has barrel-vaulted ceiling to eastern half. To west roll-moulded beam on stone corbels supports an upper chamber with squints. Joists are exposed with roll-moulded beam in centre. Former Victorian screen at rear. 2-plank door in 4-centred arched frame leading to upper floor. Moulded beams to 2 upper rooms, the chamber next to the arch has a stone fireplace and an original Perpendicular window surround with arched head. Jowled posts and Crownpost roof with 2 square crownposts each with 1 headbrace to collar beam. Arched braces. (Buildings of England: Newman J: West Kent and the Weald: 576; Maycock A: A History of St Mary's Abbey, West Malling: 1970-).
Listing NGR: TQ6822557745
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 392463
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Newman, J, The Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald, (1980), 576
Maycock, A, A History of St Mary's Abbey West Malling, (1970)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 22-Jun-2026 at 14:21:10.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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